How would you play it?

TXtourplayer

TXtourplayer

Executive Member
I have another weekly tournament question from Hollywood casino (Shreveport, LA).

Rules are (at table 401 two advance to the finals) $10 min.-$5,000 max bets., bets rotates, dealing doesn’t.

Situation: last hand player #4 is second to bet and third hand to play of four left at table. Below are the amounts each players has, what would your bet be for player #4?

Player #1 - $640.00

Player #2 - $825.00 Has to bet first and bets $220.00.

Player #4 - $785.00

Player #5 - $ 50.00

What they actually played:

Player #1 - $640.00……………..….$320.00, leaving $320.00

Player #2 - $825.00 bet first and bet $220.00, leaving $605.00

Player #4 - $785.00………………...$175.00, leaving $610.00

Player #5 - $ 50.00…………………$ 50.00

How the hands played out: What would you have done for player #4?

Player #1 – K, Q

Player #2 – 10, 7

Player #4 – 8, 5

Player #5 – 8, 7

Dealer up card 5,

Final results:

Player #1 – K, Q stand

Player #2 – 10, 7 stand

Player #4 – 8, 5, DD A

Player #5 – 8, 7, bust

Dealers hand: 5, 6, 4, 5 = 20

As player #4, I would have only bet $140 to begin with leaving me a winner if either player loses or if play #1 pushes. What do ya’ll think?

After he made his play, that is a rough call, do you stand and hope the dealer beats player #2 or DD your hard 13? I liked his DD in this case, but it ended up costing him as the dealer made a 20 and he could have won if he just stood.

Also Player #1 getting to make last bet could have only bet $25 and held back $615.00 giving himself a better chance by needing just one of the other players #2 or #4 to lose to make the finals.
 
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My recommendation

I would have bet $140. I would have hit twice. After taking the low, I would not have given it up.
 
I would have bet the 140 also.But I would have doubled down for 35 to get a tie for 2nd high and still had 1st low.
 
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Go to the head of the class

Joe gets A+. May not have worked out, but gave player #4 his best chance to make the finals.
 
A +

Hey Rick does that A+ come with a star on my report card ? Have not been able to bring a report card home with a * on it it about 45 Years.... LOL
 
Best Bet

I think the best bet as br2 betting second is to bet $275 ...to just beat br1 .hoping br3 will bet big .which he or she will..to give you second if all win or all lose......
however.with your bet I think your best option is to stay.
you will be first if the dealer hits to 21............11%
you will be second if the dealer hits to 18, 19, or 20.....36%
you will be third if the dealer hits to 17 or busts.....53%
almost 50- 50 to go to the next round

if you hit you need to get to 18 -21......31%

if you double you bust 39%
but will be first if dealer busts........42%
if you don't bust ....61%
and the dealer busts...42% ...... is only about...26%
second if you don't bust........61% and beat the dealer...??????
either case I don't think is any good..where is S. Yama when we need him
 
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47% -53% is not 50-50

Once you start putting hope into the mix you are toast.You can not hope BR 3 bets big.You want the low with the chance to double to get one of the highs back.If we all knew the dealer up card before the hand we would all be better players.If im sitting behind you and you give me the low im taking it.And good luck on winning your hand because im the favorite now
 
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Hey Joe,

Heres your star *, now here is some extra credit. Get it right and I'll take you cow tipping...lol.

All players #1,2, & 4 made bad bets on the last hand in my opinon, but what about Player #4 play after betting $175 and seeing his cards, would you of DD (like he did) or sit it out with first low?

By standing he needs a dealers hand of 18 - 21 to win 2nd low. By DD he takes the chance of busting still giving him a shot at 2nd high should the dealer make 21 and could win 1st high if he wins the hand.

This is one of those calls were I believe you have to be in the game to know the best play under the current circumstances. I have had plays like this where I have though that standing was the better play and others were I have believed DD was the right play.

I did not say that one is not a higher percentage play then the other normally, I just pointed out that based on factors unknown to what we are reading that it could have been a coin toss for which way to play out his hand.
 
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Stand

You stand because if the dealer breaks you are tied for 2nd and if the dealer makes any hand but 17 you advance.You dont want to give up the low .Plus i welcome a 5 hand playoff with player # 1 who didnt bet enough to win in the first place.....So Show me the COWS and let the tipping begin
 
Tournament BJ vs Poker

After watching the best that the poker world has to offer on ESPN and the Travel Channel and digesting the excellent analyses of the play in the previous postings it appears to me that it tournament BJ is much more challenging and requires tougher decision making than tournament poker. I know we have contributors that excel in both BJ and poker play. I'd be interested in hearing their comparisons of both types of tournaments and which requires more savy to win.
IG
 
Luck is the biggest factor

If you have been watching the WSOP Main event on ESPN then you know the so called "DEAD MONEY" is putting out some of the top pro poker players. Is it because of skill? No, some are playing hands they should have thrown away before the flop and to make it wrost they are staying in for the turn and winning on the river.

This is luck, but it is all part of the game. The poker pro's are getting a little taste of what the regular tournament players in blackjack got this passed year at the LV Hilton.

This is by no means is a knock on anyone, I am only pointing out that anyone can win these tournaments if you catch the cards and have the luck on your side.

Is their better players then others? Yes, without a doubt. Do they always advance? Not always, but more then most. Do they win more then others? I would still say no, I think about 40% if that much are won by regular tournament players (Major Tournaments.)

Some regular tournament players win more because they live or go out to Vegas every month to play in tournaments. They may play 4-8 tournaments per month, you may only get to play in 2-4 per year. So yea I would said they have a bigger advantage of winning a tournament(s) then others. It also gives them alot more knowledge of tournament play then others.

Don't let a so called pro intimadate you next time you play on the same table. They all lose more then they win as do all of us.
 
BJ Tournaments vs.Poker Tournaments

I am one of the BJ Tourn. players that have made the crossover to Poker Tourn.And i will tell you that playing in BJ Tourn.gives you a head start on playing in poker tournaments.Money mangement is key in poker tournaments,and we all know that aspect is very important in BJ tourn.The biggest plus is that if you skill level in Poker Tourn. gets you to the top of the heap, it is welcomed by the Casinos.In BJ tournaments the better you get brings nothing but heat from the casinos.I know that first hand.So Follow me to the poker tables and listen up for Shuffle UP and Deal !!
 
Money mangement is key in poker tournaments as well as in BJ tournaments. In both you need skill and luck you may know what to do but you still have to draw the cards or at least in poker bluff well. The biggest difference is that in BJ you have to win your table (sometimes be 2nd) in order to advance where as in poker survival (waiting for the right hands to play) is the name of the game. And Tex you don't have to live in Vegas, I live in Tunica and play not 4-8 tournaments a month but 4-8 a week. Many of us do make a living playing poker (and we love the weekends when the fish come to town) where as in BJ this is becoming very rare, also good BJ players are becoming unwelcomed guests where as poker players are welcomed with open arms. Just ask Joep. And there are very few if any satellite tournaments for Blackjack to earn your way into the larger entry fee events. Example I played in a Horsehoe (Tunica) poker satellite ($65.00 entry fee), came in 14th and won a entry into a $2000 entry fee tournament. In this I came in between 15th and 20th and won $8900. This kind of money for such a poor finish is unheard of in most blackjack tournaments. In most even making the final table and finishing 6th or 7th you will still lose money (entry fee and expenses totaled). And I have noticed that the blackjack tournament final tables are never chopped like in Poker, is there a reason for this or is it just that the players all think they will be the winner? Poker players seem to believe that a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush and not everyone is going come in first.
 
I agree

The number of times someone may play was just an example given. I am sure they're are players that play everyday some where (once again Vegas was just an example.) I know several players that tell me they play multiple tournaments per day online (poker).

As far as satellite tournaments for blackjack I have been trying to get the casinos to try this with no luck. Hopefully within the year the online casinos will have their BJ tournaments (elimination style) up and running and we can start having online satellite tournaments for land based and cruise ship casinos tournaments such as poker has.
 
I would not play in online tournaments for BJ for the same reason I don't play poker online. You hear people worry about collusion between 2 or more players but I know people that play poker online using 2 or more computers logged on into one game to control the game. It is too easy for players to cheat online and then you have to worry about the honesty of the online casino's software.
 
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